1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery exchange apparatus, and particularly to a battery exchange apparatus suitable for collectively controlling the charging and rental of a battery to be mounted on a motor-driven vehicle using a motor as a drive source. In addition, the present invention relates to a chargeable battery, and particularly to a chargeable battery mounted on a motor-driven vehicle as a power source of the motor-driven vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
In recent years, a bicycle on which a motor is mounted as an auxiliary power source for assisting a force produced by the legs of a user (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9ca motor-assisted bicycle) has been available. A battery such as a nickel-cadmium battery that allows repetitive recharge is used as a power supply of the motor.
If a user of a motor-assisted bicycle possesses a battery personally, there occurs an inconvenience in that the charging of the battery must be performed by the user himself. To solve such an inconvenience, there may be considered a system for collectively controlling the charging of batteries. For example, there may be considered a battery exchange system for a user of a motor-assisted bicycle in such a manner that the user rents a battery from the system that collectively controls the batteries, returns the battery after the battery is exhausted, and rents a new full-charged battery.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-293874 discloses a battery exchange apparatus for automatically renting a battery to a registered user and for receiving the returned battery from the user. By deploying such battery exchange apparatuses at a number of locations, it is possible to solve the inconvenience of the battery management in which a user must perform the charging, storage, and the like of the battery and also to utilize a motor-assisted bicycle in a wide range with no attention paid to exhaustion of the battery.
The installation of the above-described battery automatic exchange apparatus is very convenient, and therefore, a number of persons will come to use the exchange apparatus. Under such circumstances, it is required that many and unspecified persons can easily operate the battery exchange apparatus. In particular, it is essential to improve the operability upon taking out a relatively heavy battery of the battery exchange apparatus.
The above-described automatic battery exchange apparatus has a structure suitable to be used in an outdoor facility in order to enhance the convenience of a user in the course of cycling on a vehicle such as a motor-assisted bicycle. However, in consideration of the applicability of the battery exchange apparatus and comfortableness for use by a user, the installation of the battery exchange apparatus in an indoor facility should be examined. The battery exchange apparatus adapted to be used in an outdoor facility, however, requires an air conditioning system for allowing the battery exchange apparatus to keep up with various environmental conditions such as a particular installation area, weather, and climate and for removing heat generated upon charging the battery. As a result, there occurs a problem that the battery exchange apparatus is enlarged and is not suitable to be used in an indoor facility.
The prior art battery is provided with a handle for allowing a user to easily carry the battery, or formed into a shape and a size suitable for the battery to be mounted on a motor-assisted bicycle or the like. The prior art battery, however, fails to consider the containment of the battery in a battery exchange apparatus collectively controlled as described above, or the workability and usability in handling the battery, particularly, when containing the battery in the battery exchange apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem and to provide a battery exchange apparatus capable of easily taking a battery out of the battery exchange apparatus.
To achieve the above object, according to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided a battery exchange apparatus having a containing portion for containing an approximately square pole shaped battery, and a charger for charging the battery, characterized in that the containing portion is configured as a cylindrical body with a bottom capable of containing the battery in the longitudinal direction; and the containing portion includes a first interior section for retaining the battery, and a second interior section which is spread from the first interior section to the opening portion side of the cylindrical body to allow one end of the battery contained in the containing portion to project from the second interior section.
According to a second feature of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first feature, the battery exchange apparatus includes: lock means for locking the battery in the cylindrical body with a bottom at a position near a bottom portion thereof; and lock releasing means for releasing the locking by the lock means and projecting the battery to the opening portion side more than another battery adjacent to the battery.
According to a third feature of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second feature, a plurality of the cylindrical bodies with bottoms are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions; and a door is provided commonly to each group of the plurality of cylindrical bodies arranged in both the vertical or horizontal direction. Furthermore, according to a fourth feature of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of any one of the first, second and third features, the battery to be contained in the containing portion is formed into an approximately rectangular shape in transverse cross-section, and the short side of the battery has a palm size.
With the first feature, since one end of the battery contained in the containing portion projects in the second interior section, it is possible for a user to easily hold the one end of the battery and hence to easily take the battery in or out of the battery exchange apparatus. With the second feature, since the battery projects more than other batteries adjacent thereto when the locking is released by the lock releasing means, it is possible for a user to more easily hold the one end of the battery.
With the third feature, it is possible to take necessary batteries in or out of those of a plurality of the containing portions arranged in each row or in each stage by opening the door provided for those of a plurality of the containing portions arranged in each row or in each stage. With the fourth feature, it is possible to improve the workability in taking the battery in or out of the battery exchange apparatus as its configuration allows the user to easily hold the battery.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a small-size battery exchange apparatus suitable to be used in an indoor facility.
To achieve the above object, according to an additional feature of the present invention, there is provided a battery exchange apparatus for providing an already charged battery, the battery exchange apparatus having a containing portion for containing batteries and a charger for charging each of batteries, characterized in that the battery exchange apparatus is installed in an indoor facility, and an atmosphere in the battery exchange apparatus is maintained depending only on ventilation with an atmospheric air in the indoor facility; and the total height of the battery exchange apparatus is set to be in a range of 80 to 120 cm. With this first feature, the battery exchange apparatus of the invention is suitable to be used in an indoor facility. In particular, since the total height is set to be in a range of 80 to 120 cm approximately, a battery can be easily inserted in or removed from the containing portion, and the upper surface of the exchange apparatus can be effectively used as a surface on which an article is to be placed.
According to a further feature of the present invention, the number of batteries arranged in the horizontal direction in the battery containing portion is larger than that of batteries arranged in the vertical direction in the battery containing portion. With this second feature, although the height of the apparatus is set at a value being as low as about 120 cm, the number of batteries contained in the containing portion can be increased.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the battery exchange apparatus includes a power-supply unit and a control unit; and the control unit includes a lock control means for retaining a battery received in the containing portion, a charging control means for charging the battery received in the containing portion, and a lock releasing means for releasing the battery, which has been charged, that is retained by the containing portion in accordance with a user""s demand. With this third feature, the received battery is locked in the containing portion, on the other hand, the locking state of an already charged battery is released and the already charged battery is taken out of the containing portion.
According to another feature of the present invention, the containing portion includes a plurality of cylindrical bodies with bottoms; and the battery exchange apparatus includes a display means for recognizably displaying those in a vacant state and those in the state containing charged batteries of the plurality of cylindrical bodies with bottoms. With this fourth feature, a user can recognize the presence or absence of batteries in the containing portion and the presence or absence of an already charged battery by means of the display means.
According to an additional feature of the present invention, the power-supply unit and the control unit are disposed in the lowermost stage; the containing portion is disposed in an intermediate stage; and a guiding means including the display means is disposed in the uppermost stage. With this additional feature, the guiding means is disposed to an easy-to-view position, and a battery is disposed at an easy-to-reach position.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the battery exchange apparatus includes a fan for ventilating the inner atmosphere of the battery exchange apparatus. With this feature, the inner atmosphere is ventilated with atmospheric air at a location where the battery exchange apparatus is installed. According to another feature of the present invention, the indoor facility is a convenience store. With this still further feature, since the height of the battery exchange apparatus is set to a value 120 cm, even if the apparatus is arranged together with other commodities on shelves, it is possible to ensure a high visibility of the interior of the store when it is installed in combination with other article show cases and to desirably place an article or product on the upper surface of the exchange apparatus.
An additional object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem and to provide a chargeable battery suitable to be contained in a battery exchange apparatus.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a chargeable battery used for a battery exchange apparatus capable of exchanging an exhausted battery for an already charged battery, the chargeable battery being composed of a plurality of battery cells contained in an approximately square pole shaped battery pack, characterized in that the battery pack is formed into an approximately rectangular shape in transverse cross-section, and the short side of the approximately rectangular shape has a palm size. The battery pack is approximately symmetrical with respect to a parting plane set at a position bisecting the short side. The battery pack has an engagement hole to be engaged with locking means moved forward and backward with respect to a plane including the short side, the engagement hole being formed symmetrically with respect to the parting plane.
With this feature, since the battery has a palm size, it is possible for a user to easily carry the battery without the provision of any additional member such as a handle. As a result, it is possible to improve the operability not only in mounting or dismounting the battery on or from a motor-assisted bicycle but also in taking the battery in or out of a battery exchange apparatus for charging the battery. Since the battery has no portion projecting outwardly from the outer surface thereof, it is possible to simplify the shape of a battery containing portion of a battery exchange apparatus. Since the engagement hole is formed in the battery pack, if locking means is provided on a battery exchange apparatus, the battery can be certainly held by engaging the locking means with the engagement hole. Since the battery pack is formed symmetrically with respect to the parting plane, it is possible to reduce the steps of designing a mold used for production of the battery pack by molding.
According to another feature of the present invention, the chargeable battery has a pair of terminals connected to the battery cells; and the pair of terminals are disposed on one end in the longitudinal direction of the approximately square pole shaped battery pack in such a manner as to be symmetrical with respect to the parting plane, and are held by the battery pack. With this feature, it is possible to more easily form the symmetrical battery pack, and hence to promote the first feature.
According to a further feature of the present invention, a second engagement hole is formed in a surface opposed to the surface in which the engagement hole is formed; and the engagement hole and the second engagement hole are set to be fitted to an adapter for supplying power to equipment which uses the battery as a power source. With this configuration, in the case of connecting the battery to equipment using the battery as a power source via an adapter, the adapter can be certainly held by the engagement hole provided in the surface, facing to the adapter, of the battery pack.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, projecting stripes extending in the longitudinal direction of the battery pack are formed on the surface opposed to the surface in which the engagement hole is formed in such a manner as to be symmetrical with respect to the parting plane. With this feature, since the surface, on which the projecting stripes are formed, of the battery pack is easily brought into slide-contact with another member, for example, with a battery containing portion of a battery exchange apparatus, it is possible to improve the operability in taking the battery in or out of the battery containing portion.
According to another feature of the present invention, a design seal is stuck between the projecting stripes symmetrically formed. According to this feature of the present invention, the design seal is a seal providing a notification that a battery is recyclable. Since the design seal is protected by the projecting stripes, it is prevented from being damaged or contaminated. In addition, it is possible to easily inform a user that the battery is a recyclable product.